Philadelphia Eagles: 3 Step Plan for Success

Dec 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly reacts against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field. The Redskins won 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

The Philadelphia Eagles have completed one of the most disappointing seasons in their team history with the surprising decision to release head coach Chip Kelly. Now they are picking up the pieces of their broken team and trying to rebuild.

This offseason there are quite a few things that the Eagles need to fix. Here is a quick three step plan highlighting the most important things that the Eagles need to take care of this offseason.

Step 1: Finding a New Head Coach

The Eagles need a new head coach and this one should last a long time. One of the biggest mistakes they can make is keeping offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur on as their coach.

They need someone that knows how to successfully run an offense and knows how to make our impressive defensive personnel play well on the field.

The way I see it there are five perfect candidates for the Eagles, all are different but all can turn things around for us.

Adam Gase OC, Chicago Bears
David Shaw HC, Stanford
Sean McDermott DC, Carolina Panthers
Tom Coughlin HC, New York Giants (Assuming he becomes available)
Vic Fangio DC, Chicago Bears

These five men all have proven that they have something unique that could turn this Eagles team around. Adam Gase spent years making the Denver Broncos into a top offense and now is the first coach to make quarterback Jay Cutler into a legitimate quarterback.

David Shaw took over at Stanford for current Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and barely missed a beat. Shaw has an innovative yet derivative offense that looks complex but is very simple. His scheme could be the future of the NFL and he is my first choice.

Sean McDermott failed in Philadelphia as the the Eagles defensive coordinator but has found new success in Carolina. The Panthers boast a dynamic defense and McDermott has earned a chance to be head coach.

Tom Coughlin may or may not be fired by the Giants but the fact of the matter is that he is a great coach who knows how to build a team and win a super bowl. The Eagles would be lucky to have him.

Vic Fangio has had success on defense wherever he’s gone and he’s earned a chance to be a head coach. He would turn the Eagles into a top defense and could make them serious contenders.

Step 2: Finding a Quarterback

No matter what the Eagles need to lose this week. Whether they feel the need to draft a quarterback or not they should give themselves the best opportunity to. Quarterback Sam Bradford is likely on his way out, but he doesn’t look like the future of the Eagles anyway.

Top quarterbacks from the draft include Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, Cal’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook. Of these Lynch has the most potential to be a franchise quarterback.

Paxton Lynch is a physical specimen standing at 6’6”. He has an arm that can get the ball anywhere. Lynch is also pretty mobile for his size. He could use a year on the bench to finish his development, but as a high first round pick for the Eagles that likely isn’t an option.

Jared Goff is more NFL ready but he has a less dynamic arm. He too can extend plays with his legs. He also has the ability to operate out of a shotgun formation and make quick reads. He has a lower ceiling than Lynch but still has a bright future.

Connor Cook is a different story. He is a more conventional quarterback with a lot of talent. However, he is inconsistent at times and can make big mistakes. He’s more of a late first round to early second round value.

The Eagles should target Lynch in the first round to be the future of their franchise.

Step 3: Fix the Offensive Line

Thanks to Chip Kelly the Eagles don’t have a second round pick to draft an offensive lineman and assuming that they take a quarterback in the first round they will have to devote their third round picks and free agency to finding suitable offensive guards which they desperately need. They need better depth as well with Jason Peters a constant injury threat.

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